Mother of Our Savior Chapel

The Mother of Our Savior Chapel is a sacred space dedicated to the patronage of the first disciple of Christ, our mother Mary, Mother of our Savior. The salvation of our world is centered in Christ, but not without Mary – the first disciple to say “yes” and to bear the Savior with all her joys and sorrows.

Faith is the heart of DSHA; similarly the chapel is placed in the heart of the building. The orientation of the chapel is directed toward The Quad and main entrance of the school and has a strong visual presence, and symbolic centering, to all who enter DSHA. The Mother of Our Savior Chapel ceremonial doors open to The Quad and overlook the main social gathering area of DSHA. Next to The Robert and Marie Hansen Family Fine Arts Theatre, fine arts wing, academic building, and the health & wellness center, the chapel symbolically pays tribute to the DSHA Mission Statement, which states “...we develop our students into capable young women of faith, heart and intellect who accept the Gospel call to live lives that make a difference.” The chapel under this title of Mary, the first servant of Christ, stands at the very heart of our complex as a constant reminder of our call to our mission and to live the values of the Gospel we have inherited from our founders.

Mother of Our Savior Chapel

The Entrance

The balcony overlooking The Quad visually connects the lower social gathering space to the chapel with a new open and attractive railing. As part of this balcony area, the processional cross (pictured) is affixed to it so it stands and overlooks the chapel and The Quad unless Mass is being held. This cross leads us to Mass, whether it is held in The Robert and Marie Hansen Family Fine Arts Theatre or chapel, and will stand here when liturgy is not being celebrated. The ceremonial doors to the chapel are of wood; strong and great, welcoming and simple. These doors serve as a backdrop when closed, and a frame when open, to the blessing font that stands before the entrance to the chapel.

The Sanctuary

The sanctuary, or altar space, is set apart from the main nave by a circular patterned floor with the Tree of Life motif (the earth) woven around this space. The altar (pictured) stands as the focal point of the chapel, made of natural wood; natural Wisconsin White Oak and Holy Land Olivewood. The design of the altar suggests creation reaching heavenward with the ossuary containing the relics of St Teresa of Avila, and St. Theresa the Little Flower, located in the center beneath the mensa.

The Nave

At the former entrance to the chapel is the Shrine of the Mother of the Savior (pictured). This image depicts Mary as a woman of deep faith seated and teaching her son Jesus, who holds a scroll of scripture while looking up to his mother. Mary is depicted with one arm around her son, the other holding the scroll, a tender image of a parent teaching her child in the way of the Lord. On the scroll Mary holds we read from the Prophet Isaiah, written in Greek, “The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me.”